Smoking set

ABSTRACT

A smoking set which comprises a cigarette storeage container, a feed means for delivering a cigarette, a gas jet means, an ignition means for igniting a gas jet, a pivoted cigarette holder, and a suction means for drawing air through the holder to aid in lighting the cigarette and in which upon a single manual operation of an actuating means a cigarette is delivered to be inserted into the holder and automatically lighted by a flame produced from a gas jet which is also automatically discharged and ignited.

g United States Patent 1 [111 3,797,700 Murata Mar. 19; 1974 SMOKING SET 4 [76] Inventor: Nohuo Murata, No. 4-4-1 Sendagi, f' Examlrfer stanlel Tollberg almkywkuy Tokyo, Japan Assistant Exammer-Josep Rolla [22] Filed: Dec. 20', 1972 [57] ABSTRACT [21] Appl. No.: 316,748 I A smoking set wh ch comprises a cigarette storeage container, a feed means for delivering a cigarette, a US. CL gas jet means an ignition means for a gas jet I Int- Cl. a! a pivoted cigarette holder and a suction means for [58] Field of Search 221/136, 137, 138, 139, drawing air through h holder to aid in lighting the 221/140, l4l, 142, 143, 144, 145, 147 igarette and in which upon a single manual operation of an actuating means a cigarette is delivered to be in- References Clted serted into the holder and automatically lighted by a UNITED STATES PATENTS flame produced from a gas jet which is also automati- 3,186,590 6/1965 Beha et al 221/147 Cally discharged and ignited- 2,28l,060 4/1942 Aronson 221/136 l.84S,673 2/1932 Mansbach et a1 221/147 5 Chums, 7 D'awmg Flgures PATENTEDMR 19 I914 SHEEY 2 0F 4 Fl 6 f? SMOKING SET This invention relates to a smoking set and more par- I ticularly to a novel smoking set in which provision is made for transferring a cigarette which has dropped from a cigarette storage container to place one end of the cigarette into a holder mounted to the smoking set, jetting a combustible gas such as butane directly below the other end of the cigarette, igniting the gas to produce a flame adjacent said other end of the cigarette while suctioning air through the holder to light the cigarette, and pivoting the holder upward to erect the cigarette to a position ready to be picked up by a user.

A primary object of the present invention to provide a smoking set in which a single manual operation of an actuating means automatically performs a sequence of delivering a cigarette, providing a jet of gas, igniting the gas jet, suctioning air through a cigarette holder and erecting the lighted cigarette. Generally, a smoking set according to the present invention comprises a cigarette storage means having a discharge opening at the bottom through which a cigarette drops, a transfer guide means having rearward and forward ends, the rearward portion being located below and aligned with said discharge opening, said guide means 1 being adapted to receive the cigarette from the storage means at the rearward portion of the guide means and guiding the cigarette in its forward movement, a cigarette holder pivotally mounted adjacent the forward end of said guide means, a feed means for moving the cigarette forward to insert one end of the cigarette into said holder, a gas jet means located below said guide means for providing a jet of combustible gas adjacent the other end of the cigarette, an ignition means disposed adjacent said gas jet means for igniting a gas jet, a suction means connected to said cigarette holder for drawing air through the holder to aid in lighting the cigarette, an erecting means for pivoting said holder upward to a position convenient for being picked up, and an actuating means for sequentially operating said feed means, gas jet means, ignition means, suction means and erecting means.

The construction and advantages of the present invention will be fully understood from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment taken with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a smoking set made according to the present invention, the phantom outlines showing the lighted cigarette erected to a position ready for being picked up as well as the ash tray drawn out of the base housing of the smoking set.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view, with parts broken away, of the base housing and shows the cigarette storage container, lid therefor, and top plate as separated from the base housing FIG. 3 is a plan view of the base housing with the cigarette storage section and top plate removed therefrom.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line IV IV in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line V- V in FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the feed means and guide means with parts removed.

FIG. 7 is a section view taken along line VII in FIG. 3. a

Vll

Referring now to the drawings, particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, a smoking set generally designated as 10 is shown as comprising a rectaingular or box-shaped base housing 12, a rectangular cigarette storage section 14 which is approximately half the size of the base housing and a top plate 16. An ash tray 18 in the form of a drawer may preferably be withdrawably mounted in the base housing.

The cigarette storage section or container 14 includes a bottom plate 20 inclined downwardly toward one end thereof where is formed a discharge opening 22 through which cigarettes C in the container are permitted to drop one at a time into a guide channel as will be described hereinafter. The container may include a lid 24.

An elongated exit slot 26 is provided in the top plate 16 above and aligned with the transfer guide channel so that a cigarette is permitted tobe raised from the guide channel through the exit slot 26. The top plate 16 is further provided with an elongated slot 28 through which an actuating handle H vertically projects and is manually moved and a round opening 30 through which cigarette ashes are thrown into the ash tray 18. A cover 32 is slidably mounted to open and close the opening 30. e

The cigarette storage container 14 and top plate 16 are detachably mounted on the top of the base housing 12 by means of screws 34 such that the elongated exit slot 26 is positioned longitudinally in line .with the discharge opening 22 formed in the container bottom and that the round opening 30 is positioned directly above the ash tray 18 mounted within the base housing.

As shown in FIGS. 3, 5 and 6, a channel-shaped transfer guide means is mounted horizontally within the base housing 12 adjacent one of opposed side walls. The guide channel 40 extends substantially the full length of the base housing, the rearword portion of the channel being located below but closely adjacent to the discharge opening 22 so as to receive a cigarette C from the opening and the forward portion of the channel located below and vertically aligned with the exit slot 26. The guide channel 40 serves to guide a cigarette therealong from the rearward end toward the forward end.

Formed in the guide means intermediate its rearward and forward ends is a flame aperture 42 through which a gas flame is permitted to project. The flame aperture terminates short of the top edge'of the outer side wall of the channel to provide a continuous side wall while the aperture extends through cutting apart the top edge of the inner side wall to form a cutout 44 for the purpose as hereinafter described.

As best seen in FIG. 5, a gap 46 is provided between the rear end of the channel 40 and the rear end wall of the base housing. The upper surface 48 of the inner wall of the channel is inclined upward from the rear end to the point at the cutout 44 and is formed with smooth curved surfaces 50 and 52 at the cutout 44 and gap 46, respectively; The purpose of such arrangement will be apparent hereinbelow.

The feed means includes an elongated rack 54 reciprocably mounted on a fixed guide frame 56 and a feed member generally designated as 58, as best shown in FIG. 6. The guide frame extends the length of the base housing horizontally and parallel to the guide channel 40, and is formed with a guide groove 60 to receive the rack 54 which is slightly longer than half the length of the frame 56 as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.

The feed member 58 comprises a somewhat resilient feed pin 62 secured to a carriage 64 which is in turn connected through an arm 66 to the rack 54 adjacent the rear end thereof so that the carriage carrying the feed pin is moved with reciprocal movement of the rack 54. The carriage is supported and guided on a guide bar 68 fixed to the base housing 12 and extending horizontally and parallel to the guide channel 40 from the rear end of the housing to a location slightly beyond the cutout 44. The feed pin 62 projects horizontally from the carriage 64 toward and perpendicularly to the guide channel 40 beyond the upper surface 48 of the inner wall of the channel and terminates short of the outer wall of the channel. The arrangement is such that I pivotal movement of the carriage S8 and feed pin 62 on the guide frame 56.

Thus, with forward movement of the rack 54, the feed pin 62 advances riding on the upper surface 48 of the inner side wall of the guide channel 40 while pushing the end of the cigarette C along the channel. it will be understood that the resiliency and pivotal movement of the feed pin permits the pin to climb up the upper surface 48 of the channel wall. Upon leaving the top surface 48 at the cutout 44, the feed pin falls through the cutout to its normal position corresponding to the level of the top surface 48 at the rear end. As the rack 54 returns rearward, the feed pin 65 is moved back into abutment with the curved surface 50 and guided along said surface and then the bottom surface of the guide channel 40 in its return travel while being yieldably urged further downward below its normal position by the guide surfaces. When the feed pin leaves the rear end of the bottom surface of the channel 40, it swings up through the gap 46 to its initial normal position ready for pushing the next cigarette which has been dropped into place in the channel immediately after the preceding cigarette was transferred out of place. Thus, the feed pin 62 moves in a loop-like path along the top and bottom surfaces of the guide channel as best seen in FIG. 5.

The gas jet means includes an upright gas jet nozzle 70 disposed below and vertically aligned with the flame aperture 42 as best shown in FIG. 6. A gas reservoir 72 is connected through a line 74 to the nozzle and provided with a valve (not shown) to control the flow of gas. A valve controlling lever 76 is connected at one end to the valve and constantly biased downwardly by a spring not shown. The other free end portion 77 of the lever is adapted to ride on a valve blocking member 78 which serves to limit the downward movement of the lever against the downward urging bias of the spring, thereby normally keeping the valve closed except when lighting a cigarette. As shown in FIG. 5, the valve blocking member 78 is formed with a top opening notch 80 between laterally projecting pins 82 and 82 fixed to one side of the member opposite from 'the side on which the valve. controlling lever 76 extends. The valve blocking member is slidably supported in the groove 84 of a guide frame 86 extending parallel to the guide frame 56 and secured to the base housing. When the valve blocking member is moved rearward to slide the lever end 77 relative to the top surface of said member into alignment with the depression 80, the lever end, which is constantly biased downward by the spring, is allowed to drop into said depression along its inclined surface, thereby opening the valve to discharge a gas jet through the nozzle underlying the flame aperture 18. The function of the projections 82 and 82' will be apparent hereinbelow. An air intake opening 87 may be provided in the side wall of the housing adjacent the nozzle 70, as shown in FIG. 7.

The ignition means may be in the form of a heater 88 mounted adjacent the gas jet nozzle 70. Batteries 90 accommodated in a battery housing 92. The heater and batteries are connected by lead wires (not shown) to form an electric circuit. A switch 94 is mounted beneath the guide frame 56 to close and open the circuit. The switch is provided with a projection 96 which when depressed, operates the switch to close the circuit to thereby energize the heater 88 and ignite a gas jet issuing through the nozzle 70.

A cigarette holder 98 is mounted above the guide channel 40 adjacent the forward end thereof and longitudinally aligned with the channel so as to hold the mouthpiece end of a cigarette with the forward end of the cigarette positioned directly above the flame aperture 42. The holder has a fixture extension 10 integral with and projecting horizontally at a right angle from the holder. The fixture extension is rotatably supported in a mounting bracket 102 secured to the base housing so that the cigarette holder is vertically swingable about the rotating axis of the fixture 100. The holder is formed with a socket 104 for holding a cigarette and an air passage extending through the holder and fixture in fluid communication with the socket.

The suction means includes an air pump 106 in the form of bellows and a suction-and-exhaust tube 108 connecting the bellows and fixture of the holder 98 in fluid communicating relationship. The air pump 106 is mounted between the guide frame 56 and battery housing 92 for extension and retraction in a longitudinal direction of the guide frame. The air pump exhausts through the tube 108 and the holder 98 as it contracts and suctions through the same tube as it expands.

The erection means includes a disk flange 110 fixed around the fixture 100 of the cigarette holder as best seen in FIG. 5. A tension spring 112 is connected between the flange and the base housing 12 to normally urge the holder 98 downward. The downward movement of the cigarette holder is limited by a horizontally extending ledge 114 secured to the base housing. The flange 110 is formed with a notch 116 which is generally horizontally oriented when the holder 98 is in its horizontal position. An engagement pin 118 to be described hereinbelow is engageable with the notch 116 to rotate the flange 110 upward against the biasing force of the tension spring 112 thereby erecting the holder.

As shown in FIGS. 3 7, the actuating means for operating the feed means, ignition means, suction means and erection means as mentioned hereinabove includes a shaft 120 fixed at opposed ends to the end walls of the base housing and extending parallel to the guide frame 56 and a slide block 122 slidable on the shaft 120. The slide block 122 has an integral sleeve member 124 about half the length of the shaft, said sleeve being axially slidably'fitte'd around the shaft 120. The sleeve member is provided with a crimped inwardly extending projection 126 which slides in a congruent groove 128 in the shaft 120, as best seen in FIG. 7. Thus, the sleeve may slide relative to the shaft, but relative turning movement is prevented. The slide block 122 has a handle l-l threaded thereto.

A coil compression spring 130 is mounted surrounding the shaft 120 and sleeve 124, one end of the spring bearing against one of end walls of the base housing and the other end bearing against the base root of the slide block 122 so as to normally bias the slide block toward the forward end of the shaft. (FIG. 3) lt will be understood that rearward movement of the slide block against the biasing force of the coil spring is limited by the rear end of the sleeve 124 abutting against the end wall of the base housing.

As shown in FIGS. 3, 4 and 6, the slide block 122 has secured thereto a rack 132 extending parallel to the shaft 120. The rack 132 is disposed so as to ride on and in engagement with a pinion 134 fixed to a pinion shaft 136 rotatably supported by a gear stand 138. The pinion shaft 136 also carries a gear 140 secured thereto which in turn is in mesh with the feed rack 54 forming part of the feed means asdescribed hereinbefore. Thus, rearward movement of the slide block moves the feed rack 54 and hence the feed pin 62 forward along the guide frame 56 by means of the rack 132, pinion 134, and gear 140.

As best seen in FIGS. 4 and 5, the slide block also has a depending arm 142 adapted to be engageable with the projections 82 and 82 on the valve blocking member 78. The depending arm 142 is also provided with a horizontally protuberance 144 adapted to be engageable with the projection 96 of the switch 94. .With this arrangement, as the slide block is manually pushed rearward, the depending arm 142 is brought into engagement with the rearward projection 82, thereafter moving the valve blocking bar 78 backward along the guide frame 86 until the lever end 77 is caused to drop into the depression 80 whereupon the gas valve is opened to discharge a gas jet. At this point, the protuberance 144 on the depending arm comes into abutment with the projection 96 to operate the switch 94 to energize the heater 88, thus igniting the gas jet.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 6, the rack 132 of the slide block has, an actuating arm 146 secured at one end thereto, the other end of which is connected to the bellows 106 to compress and expand the bellows with reciprocal movement of the rack 132. If desired, an extension l47 may be connected to the arm 146 so as to be engageable with a hooked end 148 of the cover 32 to open the cover and expose the opening 30 with forward movement of the extension 147.

The engagement pin 118 as mentioned hereinbefore in connection with the erection means is secured to the slide block 122 as seen in FIGS. 3 and 7. The engagement pin is adapted to be engageable in the notch 116 in the flange 110 during the return or forward move ment of the slide block 122, thereby erecting the cigarette holder 98.

The operation of the smoking set according to the present invention will be described hereinbelow.

ln the inoperative position, a cigarette is placed in the rearward portion of the guide channel 40, the block slide 122 in its foremost position, and the feed pin 62 positioned at the gap 46 behind the cigarette.

As the handle H is manually pushed to the rearward limit, the rack 54 and feed pin 62 is moved forward to push the cigarette into the cigarette holder 98 positioning the rear end of the cigarette adjacent the 'flame aperture 42.v

During the rearward stroke of the handle, the rack 132 carrying the arm 146 and extension 147 is moved rearward to compress the air pump 106 to exhaust air through the cigarette holder before the cigarette is placed into the holder and to move the cover 32 to expose the ash tray opening 30.

Concurrently, the arm 142 depending from the slide block 122'is moved back into engagement with the pin 82 to slide the valve blocking bar 78, thereby causing the lever end 77 to fall into the depression 80 to release the valve. A jet of gas is discharged through the nozzle 70. Almost simultaneously with opening of the valve,

the protuberance 144 of the depending arm 142 comes into engagement with the pin 96 to operate the switch, thereby energizing the heater 88 to ignite the gas jet. The thus produced flame rises through the flame aperture 42 and lights the adjacent end of the cigarette.

At this time, the handle H is released to allow the slide block 122 to be gradually returned to the forward position by the biasing force of the compression spring 130. Excessively rapid return movement may somewhat be prevented by the resistance of the bellows 106 and other frictional resistances. It is to be understood that another compression spring may be provided to counterbalance the force of the spring 130, if required, to thereby prevent rapid return movement of the handle and slide block.

During the return stroke of the slide block, the arm 146 is moved forward to expand the air pump bellows 106, thereby suctioning air through the cigarette holder to aid in lighting the cigarette.

The forward movement of the slide block disengages the protuberance 144 of the arm 142 from the projection 96 to open the switch, thus deenergizing the heater 88. Concurrently, the depending arm 142 is moved away from-the projection 82 of the valve blocking bar 78. However, the valve remains open until the arm 142 abuts the projection 82' and pushes the bar [8 forward to cause the lever end 77 to climb up the inclined surface of the notch 80 against the biasing force of the spring to thereby close the valve.

At an appropriate time during the return stroke of the slide block, the engagement pin 118 comes into engagement with the notch 116 in the disk flange 110 to rotate the flange counterclockwise swinging the cigarette holder upward to thereby erect the lighted cigarette to a position convenient for a smoker to pick it up.

As the slide block returns to its forward position, the feed pin 62 carried by the rack 54 moves along the bottom surface of the channel 40 back to its initial position at the gap 46 behind the next following cigaret which has been dropped into place immediately upon the preceding cigarette was transferred out of place. Thus, it will be understood that the feed pin 62 can return to its initial position without interfering with the next cigarette placed in the guide channel.

A finger piece F may be provided at a suitable position on the top plate to facilitate operating the handle H. In operation, a user may push the handle H while engaging his other fingers with the finger piece F.

It should be understood that the foregoing disclosure is only illustrative of a preferred embodiment of the invention and that the present invention is not limited to the embodiment as illustrated. The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit thereof.

What is claimed is:

1. A smoking set comprising:

a cigarette storage means having a discharge opening at the bottom through which a cigarette drops,

a transfer guide means having rearward and forward ends, the rearward portion being located below and aligned with said discharge opening, and said guide means being adapted to receive the cigarette from said storage means at the rearward portion and guide the cigarette in its forward movement,

a cigarette holder pivotally mounted adjacent the forward end of said guide means,

a feed means for moving the cigarette forward to insert one end of the cigarette into said cigarette holder,

a gas jet means located below said guide means for providing a jet of combustible gas adjacent the other end of the cigarette,

an ignition means for igniting said jet of combustible a suction means connected to said cigarette holderfor drawing air through the holder to aid in lighting the cigarette, i

an erecting means for pivoting said holder upward to a position convenient for picking up the cigarette, and

an actuating means for sequentially operating said feed means, gas jet means, ignition means, suction means and erecting means.

2. A smoking set as set forth in claim 1, wherein said transfer guide means comprises a guide channel, a flame aperture being formed in the channel intermediate rearward and forward ends, a gap provided adjacent the rearward end of the channel, a cutout being formed in the channel adjacent said flame aperture, and a top surface of said channel being inclined upwardly from the rearward end at said gap to the location at said cutout, and said feed means comprises a rack longitudinally slidable and laterally tiltable on a guide frame, a carriage connected to said rack, and a resilient feed pin fixed to said carriage, said feed pin being adapted to be moved through said gap, along said upwardly inclined top surface, through said cutout and along the bottom surface of said channel.

3. A smoking set as set forth in claim 1, wherein said gas jet means comprises a gas jet nozzle disposed below a flame aperture in said transfer guide means, a source of combustible gas connected to said nozzle and provided with a valve to control the flow of gas, a valve controlling lever associated with said valve and biased downward by a spring, and a valve blocking means for urging said lever upward against the force of said spring to keep said valve closed except when a cigarette is to be lighted.

4. A smoking set as set forth in claim 1, wherein said cigarette holder comprises a holder body having a cigarette socket therein, a fixture portion integrally connected at a right angle to the holder body, an air suction passage extending through said holder body and fixture to which an air pump is connected, a mounting bracket for rotatably mounting said fixture portion, a horizontal ledge supporting said holder in a horizontal position and a spring for biasing the holder downward to the horizontal position; and said erecting means comprises a disk flange fixedly mounted on the outer end of said fixture, a notch formed in said disk flange and an engagement pin engageable with said notch to rotate said fixture so as to swing the holder body upward.

5. A smoking set as set forth in claim 1, wherein said actuating means comprises a shaft horizontally mounted, a slide block manually axially slidable on said shaft and having connected thereto actuating members for operating said feed means, gas jet means, ignition means, suction means and erecting means, and a spring biasing said slide block in a direction. 

1. A smoking set comprising: a cigarette storage means having a discharge opening at the bottom through which a cigarette drops, a transfer guide means having rearward and forward ends, the rearward portion being located below and aligned with said discharge opening, and said guide means being adapted to receive the cigarette from said storage means at the rearward portion and guide the cigarette in its forward movement, a cigarette holder pivotally mounted adjacent the forward end of said guide means, a feed means for moving the cigarette forward to insert one end of the cigarette into said cigarette holder, a gas jet means located below said guide means for providing a jet of combustible gas adjacent the other end of the cigarette, an ignition means for igniting said jet of combustible gas, a suction means connected to said cigarette holder for drawing air through the holder to aid in lighting the cigarette, an erecting means for pivoting said holder upward to a position convenient for picking up the cigarette, and an actuating means for sequentially operating said feed means, gas jet means, ignition means, suction means and erecting means.
 2. A smoking set as set forth in claim 1, wherein said transfer guide means comprises a guide channel, a flame aperture being formed in the channel intermediate rearward and forward ends, a gap provided adjacent the rearward end of the channel, a cutout being formed in the channel adjacent said flame aperture, and a top surface of said channel being inclined upwardly from the rearward end at said gap to the location at said cutout, and said feed means comprises a rack longitudinally slidable and laterally tiltable on a guide frame, a carriage connected to said rack, and a resilient feed pin fixed to said carriage, said feed pin being adapted to be moved through said gap, along said upwardly inclined top surface, through said cutout and along the bottom surface of said channel.
 3. A smoking set as set forth in claim 1, wherein said gas jet means comprises a gas jet nozzle disposed below a flame aperture in said transfer guide means, a source of combustible gas connected to said nozzle and provided with a valve to control the flow of gas, a valve controlling lever associated with said valve and biased downward by a spring, and a valve blocking means for urging said lever upward against the force of said spring to keep said valve closed except when a cigarette is to be lighted.
 4. A smoking set as set forth in claim 1, wherein said cigarette holder comprises a holder body having a cigarette socket therein, a fixture portion integrally connected at a right angle to the holder body, an air suction passage extending through said holder body and fixture to which an air pump is connected, a mounting bracket for rotatably mounting said fixture portion, a horizontal ledge supporting said holder in a horizontal position and a spring for biasing the holder downward to the horizontal position; and said erecting means comprises a disk flange fixedly mounted on the outer end of said fixture, a notch formed in said disk flange and an engagement pin engageable with said notch to rotate said fixture so as to swing the holder body upward.
 5. A smoking set as set forth in claim 1, wherein said actuating means comprises a shaft horizontally mounted, a slide block manually axially slidable on said shaft and having connected thereto actuating members for operating said feed means, gas jet means, ignition means, suction means and erecting means, and a spring biasing said slide block in a direction. 